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Thijs, great images of great tits! It's singing for joy in #628 before taking a bath in the next one. And don't the two photos #629.2 and #630 show the strength in their tails as they use them to help cling on. I often notice that while watching the tits at my bird table - the sparrows have learnt the trick, too. Years ago when I first came to live here and put up a hanging peanut holder I used to watch the tits feasting but also saw the sparrows making several attempts to fly up and get a grip on the holder. But although they tried time after time, day after day, they just could not manage it. They persevered, though, until after some months one or two managed to grip and stay on.
The "knowledge" thus learnt as they became more skilled must have been somehow passed on to the next generetion for nowadays they are all as skilled as the tits in hanging upside down on a holder. They even fly straight from the tree to the holder instead of getting near and taking off from the ground as they did at first.
I must go back and look at more on this thread. I replied to Thijs' seagull and intended to also reply to Yves post about the stork. But that never got done. And now there are Ombugge's links to cartch up with. I had a quick look at the mirror in the jungle one - a hoot!
Catch up day tomorrow.

Ivy

"To thine own self be true.......
Thou canst not then be false to any man."

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Yves, I was really interested in your post about the storks. I read it at the time but, as I said in my post above, never got round to answering it. It has prompted me to see what was the position of storks in the UK and, although they visit, no wild stork has bred here since the 1400's! A wildlife place not far from me, near Diss in Norfolk, has recently taken in a large number of young birds from eastern Europe which have been injured by flying into power lines. They had been at a rehabilitation centre in Poland, but the winters were too cold for them there. They will never fly again, so will probably remain where they are and hopefully one day breed. If so, some of their chicks will come our way in East Anglia and some may be sent over to the Netherlands. Keep an eye out, Thijs.
But I learned via the web that last year a pair of wild storks had set up their nest on a tall rear chimney at Thrigby Hall, which is a wildlife park not very far from Gt. Yarmouth. They had been seen on the estate for some time and so a wooden platform was erected on a chimney specially to encourage the pair to get going. However, they disdained the offer and built their nest on another chimney stack! Sadly, though they stayed together, and were seen to mate several times, nothing came of it. I have just now rung the Hall to see if anything was happening this year. The answer was that although they are using the same nest and are obviously staying together, there has been no "happy event".
However, they are still around, so perhaps next year......
I must go to Thrigby Hall, it looked interesting and I have never yet seen a stork - unless it was at Slimbridge, Gloucs. the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust years ago. I can't now remember. But they would not have been truly wild. That was quite an experience, the birds were so used to humans and the titbits to be obtained that they simply followed you around and if you stood still for a moment they would be clustered round and standing on your feet, beaks up waiting for your offering!
Thank you for your day's account, Yves.

Ivy

"To thine own self be true.......
Thou canst not then be false to any man."

Comment

You have more good close-ups there, Thijs,of the great tits. The two showing the adult feeding the youngster (#634.1 and #635.1) are well caught and I had to laugh at two others, in #633.2 the baby seems to be wondering how to get the water - or more likely waiting for parent to come and get some for it, while in #635.2 the lazy little so-and-so is sitting within pecking distance of nuts waiting for the parent below to feed it!
#636.1 is worth printing out and framing, you know. Lovely.

Ivy

"To thine own self be true.......
Thou canst not then be false to any man."

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and with the tits i could walk slowly to the window and they stayed,but those woodpeckers,just when they think they saw something moving,,they stoped eating and look around.
and if i made a move sooooooooo slowly,there gone.

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